Top inventions of the past 25 years – and what they have in common

Wifi and smartphones are the most important inventions of the past 25 years, according to a survey published today, with the top-25 list packed with innovations from the communications sector.

The survey by Product Focus asked 2,000 people to name their top inventions from the past quarter of a century. Wifi is joined in the top three by smartphones and online banking.

The list is dominated by tech that makes our lives easier. Ofcom’s role is often to help these innovations to grow – by regulating the networks they use, or overseeing them once in place so they work efficiently and safely.